United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday directed the authorities concerned to ensure that sacrificial waste generated during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha is removed within 12 hours, aiming to maintain public health and hygiene across the country. The directive came during a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office in the Secretariat with officials concerned about Eid-ul-Azha management. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the Prime Minister issued strict instructions to all city corporations, municipalities, district administration and relevant authorities to complete the cleaning of sacrificial waste within 12 hours of the slaughter. PM orders simplifying project approval process to attract investment

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zaher Uddin Swapan MP, on Monday said that an independent media plays the most crucial role in ensuring a government's accountability. He made the remark while addressing a function as the chief guest at the Senate Hall of Jahangirnagar University (JU), marking the charge handover ceremony and farewell reception of the Jahangirnagar University Journalists’ Association (JUJA). “The more accountable a government remains to its people, the clearer and more effective its democratic journey becomes. An independent media serves as the primary instrument of that accountability,” the minister said. Worker dies after falling from under-construction building at Jahangirnagar University Describing journalism as a noble profession, he said,  “It ultimately serves the people, who are the true owners of the nation.” “If journalists fail to stand for people, democracy and reason, the essence of the media does not remain,” he added. Minister also stressed the need to identify and face the existing challenges to uphold ethical standards and patriotic values in journalism. He expressed hope that young journalists would further sharpen their creativity and protect the dignity of the profession with sincerity. JU Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan attended the programme as the guest of honour. “Journalists should create comfort for those in distress and discomfort for those who unjustly enjoy facilities. That is the true role of the media,” he said. He also urged journalists to act responsibly so that past governance failures are not repeated, adding that they must have the courage to engage in constructive criticism while distinguishing it clearly from defamation. Outgoing JUJA President Mehedi Mamun chaired the programme, while outgoing General Secretary Abdullah Al Mamun and newly elected General Secretary Razib Rayhan conducted it. Among others, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof Dr Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Pro Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof Dr Sohel Ahmed, Treasurer Prof Dr Md Abdur Rob, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Prof Dr Md Shamsul Alam, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences Prof Mohammad Mafruhi Sattar, Proctor Prof Dr AKM Rashidul Alam and Chairman of the Mathematics Department Prof Dr Muhammad Nazrul Islam also spoke. JUCSU Vice-President Abdur Rashid Jitu, teachers, students and leaders of different political and cultural organisations were present. Meanwhile, after the programme, guests released fish fry into the lake in front of the JUCSU building and planted saplings in front of the Teachers-Students Centre (TSC) as part of a tree plantation programme.

Two passengers of a CNG were killed in a head-on collision between an inter-district bus and a CNG-run autorickshaw on the Sunamganj-Sylhet highway in Jalalpur area on Monday. The accident occurred around 3pm. The identity of one of the deceased was confirmed as Anwar Hossain, 40, a resident of Terjolal village in Tahirpur upazila of the district. The other victim could not be identified immediately. Physician found dead in Dhaka flat According to police and eyewitnesses, the crowded CNG was heading towards Sylhet from Sunamganj collided head-on with Rifat Paribahan bus going the other way. The impact left the CNG autorickshaw crushed under the bus, killing two of its passengers on the spot. Additional Superintendent of Police Sujan Sarkar, said they received reports confirming the deaths of two people but only one has been identified, adding that efforts were underway to identify the other victim.

The Project Implementation Officer (PIO) of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj was arrested in Pabna on Sunday night in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Abul Kalam Azad was picked up from the Gopalpur area of the district town by a joint team of the ACC and police. Hailing from Hasampur village under Sujanagar upazila of Pabna, he currently lives with his family in the Shalgaria area of the town. Confirming the arrest, ACC Pabna Integrated District Office Assistant Director Sadhan Chandra Sutradhar said multiple cases had been filed against Azad over allegations of embezzlement of development project funds, fabrication of fake muster rolls, and misuse of government money during his service in Shahjadpur. He had been on the run. UP Chairman arrested in Cumilla auto-rickshaw driver killing case According to the ACC sources, after a long investigation, evidence of corruption was found against the PIO, leading to the issuance of a warrant for his arrest. According to the case statements, in 2023, preliminary investigations found allegations of illegal wealth accumulation against him. In May 2024, the ACC issued a notice asking him to submit his wealth statement. He submitted the statement in July 2024, but investigators later found that he had concealed information on assets worth Tk 9.42 lakh. The inquiry also detected unexplained wealth worth Tk 1.32 crore, inconsistent with his known sources of income. Following the findings, the ACC filed four separate cases against him – three in March 2025 and another in October 2025. ACC officials said Azad was arrested based on a tip-off while he was on the run.

Zamil Ahamed Limon, one of the two Bangladeshi doctoral students at the University of South Florida who were murdered in the United States, was laid to eternal in Madarganj upazila of Jamapur on Monday evening. He was buried at his family graveyard at Laldoba village following a namaz-e-janaza at the Laldoba High School ground after Maghrib prayers. Mortal remains of Bangladeshi student Limon arrive in Dhaka from US Jamalpur-3 MP Mostafizur Rahman Babul, Additional District Magistrate Abdullah Bin Rashid, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Madarganj Sumon Chowdhury, upazila BNP Vice President Abdul Mannan and Madarganj municipality BNP President Abdul Gafur, among others, attended he janaza.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday said the government has decided to revise the uniform of the Bangladesh Police by restoring the previous shirt design while replacing the trousers with khaki. He made the announcement while briefing reporters at the Secretariat following the first meeting of the national committee on coordination, management and law enforcement related to forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals, commonly known as Rohingyas. BNP made ‘significant compromises’ to ensure timely elections: Salahuddin Responding to a question on the progress of the uniform change, the minister said the existing police dress had not been widely accepted either within the force or among the public. “We have observed that the current uniform has not satisfied many within the police force and is not widely accepted. It is not quite suitable,” he said. The decision was taken following requests from police personnel, Salahuddin said, adding that they were considering how a more traditional dress can be given. “We have retained the earlier shirt used nationwide, but replaced the trousers with khaki. After detailed discussions, this has been finalised as a more acceptable uniform,” he added. The minister said it will take some time before the new uniform is introduced, as production of clothes and preparation of the uniform are still underway. Asked about an incident in which a journalist was reportedly prevented from travelling abroad on Sunday, he said he will look into the matter.

Bangladesh has activated Automatic Generation Control (AGC), the secondary frequency regulation mechanism for the national power grid, alongside the already-operational Free Governor Mode of Operation (FGMO), in a significant step towards ensuring grid stability ahead of the eventual integration of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Power Grid Bangladesh PLC disclosed this information on Monday. The initiative was carried out on April 28 and 29 under the supervision of the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC), operated by Power Grid Bangladesh PLC, with support from the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and participation of the connected power stations. Twelve power plants have been brought under the AGC framework, which functions as the secondary control layer. The FGMO, which serves as the primary control mechanism, had earlier been installed across 30 power stations under the same project. Tests confirmed that running both primary and secondary controls simultaneously produces a marked improvement in grid frequency stability. The two systems are part of a broader initiative titled the Bangladesh Power System Reliability and Efficiency Improvement Project implemented by Power Grid Bangladesh PLC. The project had previously included an upgrade of the NLDC's Energy Management System (EMS) software. Grid frequency stabilisation requires adequate spinning reserve, standby generation capacity that can be rapidly mobilised. With spinning reserve in place, FGMO and AGC together enable power plants to automatically adjust output in real time to match grid demand, a prerequisite for maintaining frequency within acceptable limits. Power Grid Bangladesh said sustaining adequate spinning reserve and keeping plants continuously active under both FGMO and AGC will progressively enhance grid frequency stability, creating the technically favourable conditions necessary for safe and reliable operation of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant once it is connected to the national grid.

A team of the Bangladesh Navy seized narcotics worth around Tk 30 crore and two foreign-made firearms during a special drive in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Monday. Acting on a tip-off, the Navy conducted the operation in the Alikhali area under Hnila union. During the drive, the team members searched a brick kiln in the area and recovered 7.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as ice, and 100,000 Yaba tablets that had been tactically buried under the ground. Navy seizes foreign firearms, ammunition and yaba in Teknaf drive The street value of the seized narcotics is estimated to be around Tk30 crore, according to a media release issued by the Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) Directorate. The operation also led to the recovery of two foreign-made pistols, two magazines and four rounds of ammunition. During the drive, law enforcers also arrested Nurul Kabir, a fugitive accused wanted in multiple cases related to arms and narcotics, from the same area. The seized drugs, firearms and ammunition, along with the detainee, were handed over to Teknaf Police Station for further legal action. The Bangladesh Navy continues its anti-smuggling operations in coastal and maritime areas to curb the trafficking of narcotics and illegal weapons.

The Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has filed 1,721 cases for violating traffic rules in different parts of the capital on Sunday. During the drives, DMP filed 93 cases under Ramna zone, 152 cases under Lalbagh zone, 160 cases under Motijheel zone and 281 cases under Wari zone, 180 cases under Tejgaon zone, 416 cases under Mirpur zone, 241 cases under Uttara zone, 198 cases under Gulshan zone, said NM Nasiruddin, Deputy Police Commissioner of DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, on Monday. Besides, a total of 382 vehicles were impounded and 144 others were towed during the drives. The DMP’s Traffic Division has vowed to continue drives to maintain discipline on Dhaka’s roads.  

Three activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami were injured after being attacked by a swarm of bees in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram on Monday. The incident took place at Birhim village under Bazra union of the upazila in the afternoon. The injured were identified as Samiul Islam, 35, secretary of Bazra union unit of Jamaat; Firoz Hossain, 37, president of its Ulema wing; and party worker Tojammel Mia, 47. All are residents of Madhya Bazra village. According to locals, the Jamaat men were travelling on a motorcycle to attend a party programme in the afternoon when they came under sudden attack by a swarm of bees in front of the house of one Rabbani Mia in Birhim village. As the bees attacked, the trio stopped their motorcycle and tried to take shelter in a nearby house. Locals rushed to the scene and attempted to drive away the bees by lighting fire, but the three had already sustained injuries. Witness Nazmul Islam said the victims became disoriented as the swarm suddenly descended on them before locals rescued them. Two of the injured were taken to Sundarganj Upazila Health Complex in nearby Gaibandha for treatment. Dr Farhana Binte Faruk, resident medical officer at the hospital, said Tojammel Mia had suffered around 40 stings. He was later referred to Rangpur for advanced treatment, while Samiul Islam was given primary treatment and released. Firoz Hossain reportedly received treatment locally.